Weekly Update from the Office of the Superintendent
Volume 2, Issue 26 (March 4, 2022)
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COVID-19 UPDATE
As we communicated earlier this week, the New York State mask mandate for schools ended Wednesday. Since then, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) released updated guidance which we have been reviewing. We are taking the following steps in alignment with the new NYSDOH guidance:
- Students/staff who test positive will continue to isolate for 5 days. They will be required to wear a mask for 5 days after returning to school (Days 6-10).
- The district has accumulated an abundant supply of at-home antigen tests. We will continue to proactively distribute these tests to families as needed. If you would like to request a test kit for your family, please contact your child’s school.
- We will support all children and staff who choose to continue to wear a mask. It is a personal choice that must and will be respected. KN-95 masks will be available for any child or staff member while supplies last. If you would like to request a KN-95 mask, contact your child’s school.
- All enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols will remain in place.
We will continue to keep our community updated as we receive more information and clarification regarding NYSDOH guidelines and requirements.
NEW CDC COMMUNITY PREVENTION DESIGNATION:
The updated guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released February 25th established new metrics for determining low (green), medium (yellow) and high (red) zones. These are based on cases per 100,000 residents, new COVID-19 hospital admissions and percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. It also included new recommendations based on the area’s designated zone.
As a community, we reached a major milestone. Under the new CDC criteria, our area had been considered a "medium" (yellow) zone. The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) reported yesterday that the continuing decline in cases and hospitalizations has resulted in our area being designated as a "low" (green) zone. This designation comes with fewer recommended prevention measures. For "low" zones, the CDC recommends the following:
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
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Each week, we will highlight some of the exciting things taking place in our schools. Be sure to follow the Ken-Ton School District on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@ktufsd) for more school highlights! |
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HOOVER ELEMENTARY: To provide easy access to an assortment of health-related information, Hoover Elementary school nurse Michele Diegelman and aide Jessica Nagy created a "virtual clinic" on the school’s website that is filled with useful information for families. The page features links to a variety of resources such as guidelines for keeping children home from school when sick, tips to stay healthy, COVID-19 information, and access to a virtual calming room with a wide variety of resources designed to calm and relax. All of these resources and links are combined in a single place, creating a one-stop-shop for families. Access it here: Hoover Elementary Virtual Clinic
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KENMORE WEST: Kenmore West High School will proudly present "Chicago: High School Edition" March 10th, 11th and 12th at 7:30 p.m. in the Kenmore West auditorium. Tickets are $12 pre-sale and $15 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit www.kwtheatre.com or contact the school at 716-874-8401. This year’s production features the talents of over 60 students on stage, in the orchestra, and backstage under the direction of Philip A. Jarosz, with choreography by Cathleen Riso, vocal direction by Jessica Leary, music direction by Kenneth W. Belote, and set construction by Michael Brown. Set in the roaring twenties Chicago, the themes of fame, fortune, and acquittal are as relevant today as they were then. Inspired by true events, audiences follow the story of Roxie and Velma as they vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the "American Dream." This sharp-edged satire features a dazzling score that sparked immortal staging by Bob Fosse.
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HOOVER ELEMENTARY: The classroom of Hoover Elementary School teacher Mrs. Maria Cooper was highlighted in the February 14th edition of the Office of School Culture's Trauma Informed Practices newsletter. Mrs. Cooper, who teaches fourth grade, has done an outstanding job incorporating culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices into her classroom environment. This 50-second video highlights many of the different initiatives she has led inside and outside the classroom which embrace and educate about different cultures while also giving her students a boost and incorporating creative projects into daily instruction.
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HOLMES ELEMENTARY: First-grade students at Holmes Elementary School had an amazing time visiting the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Children's Museum (Explore & More) in February. The trip was coordinated by special education teacher Katie Kyles and the first-grade team. Now located at 130 Main St. in Buffalo in Canalside, Explore & More features enables children of all ages to explore their interests and learn through the power of play while also learning about Western New York. Holmes Elementary first-graders had great time trying out wide variety of hand-so exhibits and fun educational activities.
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ALL SCHOOLS: March 7-11 is Wellness Week in Ken-Ton Schools. Organized each year by the Ken-Ton School District Wellness Committee, Wellness Week is a week-long observance that emphasizes the importance of health and wellness for students and staff. This year's focus is "Taking a Moment," and each day has a different theme, dress style and challenge related to that central focus. Themes include self-care, being mindful, the environment, connecting with others and improving physical health. All across the district, an assortment of different activities and initiatives have been planned by school wellness teams to help students and staff on their own wellness journey. Keep an eye out for wellness-themed activities and events at your child’s school.
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RECOGNITION: LINDSAY BERGMAN |
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We were proud to learn that Lindsay Bergman, who has been serving as Assistant Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics since August, has been selected to receive the Section VI Emerging Athletic Administrator Award.
In the short time she has been at Ken-Ton, she has already had an extremely positive impact on our athletic, PE and health programs. Lindsay has been instrumental in creating an enhanced social media presence for the Athletics Department on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with high-quality content for teams, coaches and athletes. She also provided direction and oversight for the transition to an improved student-athlete registration system called Final Forms, and she was instrumental in implementing HUDL which which provides streaming opportunities for several teams.
She remains extremely active at the league, section, and state level. She currently serves as the NFL's Female Representative on the Section VI Athletic Council, Awards Chair for the local NYS Athletic Administrators Association (NYSAAA), a member of the Section VI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and a representative on the Student Athlete Development Committee. She also served on both the 2020 and 2021 NYSAAA Conference Planning Teams and as a conference moderator. According to Section VI, "Throughout her five years in athletic administration, she has grown exponentially and has committed herself to professional development."
Please join me in congratulating Lindsay for earning this distinction.
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CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH |
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As we observe Women's History Month throughout the month of March, we will focus on notable historical figures with significant ties to Western New York. This week, we focus on a pioneer in the field of architecture who lived and worked in Buffalo: Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first woman to work as a professional architect in the U.S.
Mrs. Bethune was born in 1856 in Waterloo, NY, which wasn’t far from where the first Women’s Rights Convention took place. Her family moved to Buffalo and she began a career in architecture in the 1870s, taking a job as a draftsman at a prominent Buffalo architectural firm. It was an exciting time for the architectural industry, particularly in Western New York. Buffalo was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the U.S. at the time. It was also the beginning of a golden age in architecture as bigger and higher buildings were made possible by innovations in construction and the rapid growth of American cities. However, there were very few women working in the architectural industry at this time and those who did only worked in a supporting role and not as architects.
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Mrs. Bethune was determined to strike out on her own and be more than just a draftsman. In 1881, at the age of 25, she opened her own independent architectural company, the first in the nation led by a woman. Although the career was dominated by men, Mrs. Bethune quickly became one of the most important architects in the country. Her firm's best-known building is the Hotel Lafayette, a Buffalo landmark (pictured here). Another building which has since been demolished, the former Denton, Cottier & Daniels Music Store in downtown Buffalo, was one of the first buildings in the country to use steel frame construction and poured concrete slabs which became mainstays in building construction.
Many female architects followed in her footsteps but it was common for them to be limited to residential design. Throughout her career, Mrs. Bethune fought to have her work taken just as seriously as her male counterparts. In total, she is credited with the design of nearly 200 buildings in Buffalo and parts of New England. This includes 18 schools in Western New York, factories, hotels, churches, even a prison. Mrs. Bethune later became the first female to gain entry into the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the first woman to be honored as an AIA Fellow.
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Thank you for reviewing this information. As always, we remain Ken-Ton Proud, Ken-Ton Strong, and Ken-Ton Moving Forward!
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